“Yes, and I especially like that last part. I’m totally going to gag him twenty-four seven.”
“I guess it sounds fun.” She pressed her head to his chest for a brief moment, letting the steady beat lull her. “You know Zander is going to be ten times worse than me, right? He bought flannels and stuff, but he’s definitely an inside boy.”
“Oh, I know he’s going to be an absolute pain. I figure he’s Shawn’s problem, though.”
“What if Shawn gets fed up and runs into the woods to hide?”
“Then we’ll track him down and drag him back.”
“What if Zander annoys all the other campers to the point where they want to ostracize us because of his mouth?”
“Oh, don’t tease me. That’s exactly what I want. It means more alone time with you.”
Harper chuckled as she held tight for one moment longer. “What if I somehow screw this up? This is the sort of thing we’ve been looking for to take GHI to the next level. I mean ... it’s a celebrity endorsement. What happens if I don’t do it correctly?”
Jared ran his hands up and down her back, considering. He didn’t want to brush her off with a handy lie, so it felt important to answer as honestly as possible. “You can only do the best that you can do. I happen to believe you were born for this. You don’t have to push things, though. You simply have to be calm and think about things before you react. You have great instincts. Those are going to be on display for the next few days.”
She rested her chin on his chest and gazed into his adoring eyes. “You think I’m overreacting, don’t you?”
“I think ... .” He hesitated, considering. “I think you’re worked up about this because you know how important it is. I also think you’re going to relax once we get there. You’re keyed up right now because it’s a new environment and you’re not sure what to expect. Once those questions are answered, you’ll settle quickly.”
That was exactly the answer Harper wanted to hear. “And you’re going to make me s’mores at night, right? I happen to remember a promise revolving around s’mores.”
He chuckled and buried his face in her hair. “I’m totally going to make you a hundred s’mores. It’s not really camping without s’mores.”
“Right.” She sucked in a breath and then pulled back, her gaze going to the bed. “Zander says he’s taking like five extra bags, including one full of wedding magazines. Do you think we’re packing enough?”
“I think we’re packing just enough, and if Zander thinks we’re carrying any of his bags, he’s got a rude awakening coming.”
“Yeah. It’s going to be a long couple of days no matter how much fun we have because he’s never going to stop complaining.”
“Most definitely.”
“We’ll have each other, though.”
He winked at her. “Forever and always, until death do us part.”
2
Two
Zander was indeed late to the pickup. He was also a pouty mess. Since the drive to the campground was six hours, Harper had plenty of time to listen to his disgruntled complaints regarding the amount of items Shawn unpacked while Zander was visiting with his friend.
“He wouldn’t let me bring my hair dryer,” Zander hissed from his spot in the back seat with Harper. Jared and Shawn were in the front, clearly within hearing distance, and yet he didn’t lower his voice. “I mean ... is that not the most barbaric thing you’ve ever heard of?”
Harper had to hide her amusement lest a full-fledged fight descend, so she merely shrugged as she turned her attention to the magnificent foliage on the other side of the window. “It’s not as if you can plug it in, Zander.”
“Um ... yes I can. Or … could.”
“You have a tent with electricity, do you?” Jared challenged as he checked his GPS.
“No, Mr. Downer,” Zander shot back. “The bathrooms have electricity. They’re communal, which is truly frightening, but I could’ve used it there.”
“I didn’t consider that.” Harper pressed her nose against the window to get a better look. “We’re like ... in the middle of nowhere. Did everyone know we would be camping in the middle of nowhere?”
“That’s how camping is best,” Jared offered. “Honestly, I would be happier if we weren’t staying at a state-run campground with bathrooms. We’re not exactly roughing it. I guess this is the next best thing, though.”
Harper straightened in her seat. This was a new facet of Jared’s personality that she didn’t have any insight into. “I didn’t realize you were such an outdoorsy guy.”
He shrugged and hit the blinker. “I happen to love camping. My father took me all the time when I was a kid.”
“Oh.” Harper’s heart went out to him. He didn’t often talk about his father. She’d met his mother, of course, and found her to be a lovely woman. Jared’s father died long before they could be introduced, though. “I guess I never thought of that.”
“My father took me camping a lot when I was a kid, too,” Shawn offered. He was the easygoing sort so he hadn’t complained a single time over the course of the drive ... even when Zander insisted on stopping at three rest areas in a single hour. “He loved teaching me how to build fires, and there’s nothing better than sleeping under the stars.”
“I can think of a few things,” Zander grumbled, adjusting in his seat. “Like having a hair dryer, for one.”
“You’ll live,” Jared shot back. “This is an important business opportunity for you guys. If people start eliciting reviews of their services from you then you can say you’ve officially arrived.”
“I officially arrived the day I was born,” Zander shot back. “I don’t need to go without a hair dryer to prove it.”
Sensing trouble, Harper smoothly stepped in, shooting her best friend a quelling look. “It’s going to be an adventure for all of
